If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

This is too big a subject.

Hi,1. This is too big a subject.2. This is a big subject.
3. This subject is too big.
I understand the structure of sencond and third sentences but I have a trouble in the first one.
In this sentence big is an adjective and subject is a noun, I feel confused about the order of them. Could you tell me more about this kind of sentence?
Why not just use No.2 or No.3?
Are there any differences between them?
Thank you.

Re: This is too big a subject.

Originally Posted by anhnha

Hi,1. This is too big a subject.2. This is a big subject.
3. This subject is too big.
I understand the structure of sencond and third sentences but I have a trouble in the first one.
In this sentence big is an adjective and subject is a noun, I feel confused about the order of them. Could you tell me more about this kind of sentence?
Why not just use No.2 or No.3?
Are there any differences between them?
Thank you.

In English, when you wish to premodify the combination ADJECTIVE+NOUN by means of the adverbs 'too' or 'so', the standard construction is [too/so+ADJ+indef. article+N].

Note, therefore,that you cannot say e.g.

*a too big subject
*a so big subject

nor can you employ the construction at all except with a singular, countable noun (so we may not have. e.g. *too/so depressing news or *too/so busy people.)

In the case of 'so' there is an alternative construction, using 'such (a)', e.g.

It was such a big subject.

which, interestingly, does allow collocation with both non-count and plural nouns, e.g.

Re: This is too big a subject.

Originally Posted by anhnha

Hi,1. This is too big a subject.2. This is a big subject.
3. This subject is too big.
I understand the structure of sencond and third sentences but I have a trouble in the first one.
...Why not just use No.2 or No.3? Because the meanings are different, and 1 is incomplete
Are there any differences between them?
Thank you.

'This is too big a subject to cover in just one lesson.' You need something like the underlined words to make 'This is too big a subject ...' make sense.